The Most Downloaded iOS and Android Applications in July 2017

One of the frequently asked questions by those who have decided to make a mobile application is which application is worth building. Since there is not yet a clear answer to this question, it is worth looking at the statistics in the mobile applications market. It is not necessary or beneficial to offer users something that they do not need (unless, of course, it is not a specific or single-purpose application). It is enough to simply analyze the market to understand what exactly interests users and what applications they are currently willing to spend their time and money on.

In order to ease this task a bit, we conducted an analysis of the most downloaded applications for Android and iOS. These statistics were collected using the Prioridata platform and were based on daily Top App charts. The reference period is July 2017.

Android apps

We’ll look at three categories of applications that U.S. users download:

Free

Free+ (with built-in purchases)

Paid

Free applications

Most downloaded free applications for Android in July 2017

These data show that the most often downloaded are the applications of popular social networks and messengers as well as lifestyle applications — in other words, applications for communication and applications that are designed to make life easier for users.

Free + apps

Most downloaded free+ applications for Android in July 2017

In the category of conditionally free applications, games are in the lead, which is expected. It should be noted that the games leading in this category include strategy games and simple games for passing the time, puzzles or so called “three in a row,” quests, and platformers. From this, it can be concluded that such games are more readily downloaded if they are free and/or conditionally free.

Paid applications

Most downloded paid applications for Android in July 2017

Cost of the most downloaded applications

Minecraft: Pocket Edition

$ 6.99

Hitman Sniper

$ 0.99

PAW Patrol Air and Sea Adventures

$ 3.99

Card Wars - Adventure Time

$ 2.99

True Skate

$ 1.99

Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition

$ 4.99

Mine Metro

$ 4.99

Bloons TD

$ 2.99

Geometry Dash

$ 1.99

Farming Simulator

$ 4.99

In the category of paid applications, games are also the leaders; and the cost of the product, as a rule, does not appear to be related to the number of downloads. Users are willing to pay for quality and innovative products. It is also worth noting that not only are adventure and strategic genres in the lead, but users are also interested in simulators. There is also a tendency for there to be an interest in games based on popular cartoons with popular characters.

iOS applications

In addition to Android applications, we’ll cover three categories of products for iPhones that U.S. users download:

Free

Free+ (with built-in purchases)

Paid

Free applications

Most downloaded free applications for iPhones in July 2017

Just as we can for Android applications, we can conclude that the most downloaded apps on the iPhone are applications for social activity and messengers.

Free + apps

Most downloaded free+ applications for iPhone in July 2017

iPhone users’ preferences are slightly different from Android users, but the general tendency remains similar. The most downloaded applications of this group are products from the entertainment category.

Paid applications

Most downloaded paid applications for iPhones in July 2017

Cost of the most downloaded applications

Minecraft: Pocket Edition

$ 6.99

Plague Inc.

$ 0.99

Heads Up!

$ 0.99

Geometry Dash

$ 1.99

Facetune

$ 3.99

Terraria

$ 4.99

Farming Simulator 18

$ 4.99

The Escapists

$ 3.99

Bloons TD

$ 2.99

Enlight

$ 3.99

In this category, games predominate; and these games are mostly games for fun, action strategy, simulators, indie games, arcades, quests, and applications for editing photos and videos. In other words, users are willing to pay for unencumbered, light, fun, collective applications that do not require a high amount of concentration or deep thought.

In conclusion

This is an average analysis of downloads since it is based not only on the number of downloads but also on the basis of the biggest growth in downloads for the reporting period. Despite this, the trends and preferences of users remain relevant and characterize their current behavior in the app market.

We can distinguish several categories of applications that are in great demand among users, which include:

Games

Social applications

Instant messengers and mailing apps

Utilities

Applications for working with photos and videos

Simulators

Business applications

In this case, the most popular are fairly simple games with a long chain of the same type, or with the construction of strategic or logical processes, but without the need for a high concentration of attention and strenuous mental activity. And they must be multiplayer products that allow players to fight, compete, communicate, etc. with one another.

In other words, to make the application popular (it’s about mass usage), it should satisfy the basic user requests:

Communicate

Have fun

Pass the time without too much mental effort

Facilitate their daily life

When determining what type of application to build, either for the mass market or with specific functions and for specific needs, the choice is yours. There is always the opposite side of the coin: an application designed for the mass market may never find its users, and a highly specialized application may become in demand due to low competition. But in any case, success will be found on the side of a unique, interesting, and most importantly, useful product.